Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• ffornagilhous 1457 FountBurs 1496 FountRent

• Fernagilhouse 1535 VE

• Fornygill (House), Fornigill 1539 WillY 1677 PRMl

• Frongil House 1540 Fount

• Furnaygill 1597 TC

• Fornagill 1598 TC 1605 FF

• Faurnagill 1685 PRMl

Etymology

Fornah Gill, ffornagilhous 1457 FountBurs, 1496FountRent , Fernagilhouse 1535 VE, Fornygill (House ), Fornigill 1539 WillY, 1677 PRMl, Frongil House 1540 Fount, Furnaygill 1597 TC, Fornagill 1598 TC, 1605 FF, Faurnagill 1685 PRMl. The second el. is uncertain. It might be ON  haugr 'hill' or ON  á 'stream', referring to the small stream here, which seems to disappear in the moor. The first el. is the ON  pers.n. Forni ; ON á is also combined with a pers.n. in Thordisa YN 7, RN 406 (ON  fem. Þórdís ). 'The ravine of Forni's stream', v. gil .